The Dubious Battles

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THE DUBIOUS BATTLES

The Dubious Battles aren’t big on rules or music theory. And while perhaps one of music’s most commonly-held premises is that it’s the bands who create the songs, this Charleston SC group—consisting of three accomplished songwriters hailing from three separately-successful regional rock outfits—are a refreshing reminder that sometimes the songs can create the band.

With nearly thirteen albums, various accolades and an impressive legion of fans between them, it was a chance for three songwriters to write and perform songs outside of their individual/original band’s wheelhouses that led long-time friends and tour mates Luke Cunningham (Luke Cunningham Band), Tyler Mechem (Crowfield) and Ryan Bonner (Ryan Bonner & The Dearly Beloved) to form The Dubious Battles in early 2013. After sharing the stage for a 13 city writers-in-the-round tour in 2011, the appeal and sheer fun of playing each other’s tunes every night—as well as contributing to one another’s ‘songs in progress’—was so creatively engaging that at tour’s end the three songwriters collectively agreed their communal music endeavors simply must continue.

“It’s a rare thing when some of your favorite songwriters and the musicians who challenge you the most also happen to be a few of your best friends and favorite people to be around,” says Luke Cunningham.

“So the opportunity to explore different styles of music with those people—as well as write and perform the kinds of songs I might not with my original band—was something I simply couldn’t say No to.”

After a few writing and recording sessions at Ryan Bonner’s home studio last winter, the trio managed to hash out and track three new tunes in a matter of just two evenings. The folk sound that resulted belonged to none of them individually, yet what they had together created undeniably set the tone and aim for the music to follow. The group’s agreed-upon yet unspoken agenda was simple: Get three songwriters with great songs up on a stage, have them play as one unit, and each night put the spotlight on the songs themselves instead of the band.

Download the single ‘Bad Deal (Goodbye, Tuesday) By Clicking Here or Get it on iTunes!